Mounting for switch contact members



Aug. 11; 1925'.

s. w. SEVERANCE MOUNTING FOR SWITCH CONTACT mama'sns Filed Sept. 28. 1921 Inventor: Spencer W Severance,

His \flttorne g.

Patented Aug. 11, 191250 UNITE!) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SPENCER W. SEVERANCE, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

' MOUNTING FOR SWITCH CONTACT MEMBERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SPENCER W. S12v1; ANCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, county of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mountings for Switch Contact Members, of which thefollowing is a specification. 7

This invention relates to an improved 1o mounting for electric switch contact members whereby the contact members are securely held in position. The invention also relates to advantageous features of simplicity of construction and arrangement whereby the mounting may be cheaply and quickly manufactured.

In carrying the invention into efiect in one form, the switch member is formed with one element in the shape of a block, which may take the form of a channel section, preferably an I section, and the member is rigidly secured to and insulated from a stationary support by means comprising a bolt which passes through the supportand the block. lVhere a channel sect-ion block is used, the bolt passes between the flanges thereof. The ,bolt is insulated from the switch member by means of a hollowinsulator which passes through the switch mem-' ber, and the switch member is insulated from the support by any suitable insulating material disposed between the block and the support. Where a channel section block is used, the hollow insulator passes between the ends of the flanges of the channel section of the switch member and the support.

In the arrangement involving the use of an I section switch member, the ends of the flanges of the I section are preferably clamped between two oppositely disposed supporting straps in the manner indicated.

The mounting of the switch member is thus very rigid and substantial and large creepage surfaces are provided between the switch member and its support. Instead of a channel section switch member, the support or supports for the same may be of channel section and the switch member of a fiat piece of conducting ma terial. In such an arrangement, it is preferable, although not necessary, that two oppositely dis osed channel section supports be provide and the switch member may Serial No. 503,760.

then be insulated from but secured to the supports by a bolt which passes through a hollow insulator passing through the switch member between the flanges of the supports.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a cross-section of a part of a starting compensator for electric motors embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting of an assembled unit having several switch contact members; and Fig. 3 is a detail View of a modified form of the mounting for the switch members.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the pivotally mounted movable switch contact mechanism 10 is biased to an intermediate position between two sets of relatively stationary sets of contacts indicated at 11 and 12, the arrangement being such that when the contact mechanism 10 is ro- Y tated counter-clockwise, a circuit making engagement is made with the set of' contacts 11, and when the contact mechanism is rotated clockwise, a circuit making engagement is made with the set of contacts 12. Each of these sets or units of relatively stationary contacts is preferably of the form shown in Fig. 2, the construction of the individual contact members of the two sets being as shown in the sectional view of Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that each contact member comprises a block 13 of conducting material to which an electrio conductor 14 is secured at its upper end and to which a yieldingly mounted contact member 15 is secured at its lower end. The blocks 13 are preferably of channel section, the I section shown having advantages which make it possible to assemble the block quickly in position, so that when assembled in position the block will be rigidly mounted. Each of the blocks 13 is supported between two stationary straps 16 and 17 by means of abolt 18 which passes through the channel section of the block and the supporting straps. The blocks 13 are insulated from the supporting straps by means of strips of insulation 19 and 20, which are interposed between the ends of the blocks and the straps. A hollow insulator 21 passes through the channel section of each block and a bolt 18 passes through this h01- low insulator. The blocks are thereby completely insulated from the supporting straps and the switch contact unit is also effectively insulated from the oil well 22 within which the switch mechanism is contained.

By referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the two supporting straps 16 and 17 which support the set of contacts 12 are supported at their ends in the stationary frame construction 23, 24 contained in the oil well 22 and supported from the upper casing 25 of the switch. These two straps with their respective set of contacts secured therein in the manner previously described are clamped to the projections 26 and 27 on the end supports by means of bolts 28 and 29 respectively.

It will be observed that the contact blocks 13, the yieldingly mounted contacts 15, the insulating strips 19 and 20, the straps 16 and 17, the insulators 21 and the bolts 18 may be made identical in construction and in large quantities, thereby rendering the arrangement satisfactory for large scale production. It will also be observed that the contact blocks with their resiliently mounted contacts may be assembled in position with respect to the straps 16 and 17 so that the entire set of contacts forms an assembled unit which may be manufactured as business conditions require, preparatory to being assembled in the complete electric switch. Each of these units is veryrigid and substantial of construction so as to withstand the rugged service to which apparatus of this nature is ordinarily subjected. It will also be observed that the units are interchangeable, so that any unit can serve as either the right or left hand set of relatively stationary contacts. By reason of the fact that the blocks 13 are of channel section, the blocks may be rigidly assembled in position despite the minor inequalities customary in large scale production. The straps 16 and 17 have a certain resiliency whereby when the bolts 18 are tightened the blocks 13 will be securely held in position It will also be observed that comparatively large creepage surfaces are provided between the contact block and the supporting straps so that the parts are effectively insulated.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the supportingv straps 30 and 81 are each of channel section and the contact member 32 is flat instead of the reversal of this arrangement as shown in-Figs. 1- and 2. The bolt 18 passes through the supporting straps between their flanges and the boltis insulated from the contact member 32 by means ofthe hollow insulator 21. I

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the prin- 011316 of" my invention, together with the apparatus which L now' consider to represent the best embodiments thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Lettens Patent of the United States 1. The combination in an electric switch of a switch member, a stationary supporting member for the same, one of said members having a channel section, insulating mate rial between the ends of the flanges of the channel section member and the other member, a hollow insulator passing through the switch member between the said flanges, and a bolt passing through the insulator for securing the said switch member to the supporting member.

2. The combination in an electric switch of a switch contact unit comprising two oppositely disposed supporting members, a plurality of spaced apart switch members disposed along and between the said supporting members, a portion of said members having flanges, insulating material between the ends of said flanges and the other memher or members, a bolt for each of said switch members passing through the said switch member and the supporting members between the said flanges for clamping its respective switch member between the supporting members, and an insulator for each of said bolts for insulating the same from its respective switch member.

3. The combination in an electric switch of a switch member having a channel section, a stationary support, a hollow insulator passing through the-switch. member between the flanges thereof, insulating material be tween the said support and the ends of the flanges of the switch member, and a bolt passing through the insulator for holding the switch member to the support.

4:. The combination in an electric switch of a switch member having an I section. two stationary supports, insulating material between each of said supports and. the ends of the flanges of the switch member. a bolt passing through the switch member for holding the same between the said supports, and an insulator between the said bolt and the said switch member.

5. The combination in an electric switch of a switch member having an I section, two supporting straps therefor. a switch contact finger secured to the said switch member, a hollow insulator passing through the said switch member between the flanges thereof, insulating material between each of the ends of the flanges of the said switch member and the said straps, and a bolt passing through the insulator and the said straps for c'lamp ing the saidswitch member between the said straps.

6. The combination in an electric switch of a switch contact unit comprising two oppositely disposed supporting straps, a

plurality of spaced apart switch members disposed along and between the said straps, a hollow insulator passing through each of said switch members, insulating material between the switch members and the said straps, and a bolt for each of said switch members passing through its respective hollow insulator and the said straps for clamping the switch member between the straps.

7 The combination in an electric switch of a switch contact unit comprising two operatively disposed supporting straps, a plurality of spaced apart switch members disposed along and between the said straps,

each of said members having an I section, a hollow insulator passing through each of said switch members, insulating material be tween the said switch members and straps, a bolt for each of said switch members passing through its respective hollow insulator and the said straps for clamping the switch member between the straps, and stationary supporting means to which the ends of the said straps are secured to support the said unit in position in the switch.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of September, 1921. SPENCER W. SEVERANCE. 

